Wireline and wireless communication technologies have seen dramatic improvements over the past few years. Service providers now offer users a wide array of services, higher usage limits, and attractive subscription plans. Wireless dongles and embedded wireless modem cards allow users to use tablet computers, netbooks and laptops to access wireless Internet protocol (IP) and data services through wireless networks. Internet-enabled smart phones, tablets, televisions, and gaming consoles have become essential personal accessories, connecting users to friends, work, leisure activities and entertainment. Users now have more choices and expect to have access to content, data and communications at any time, in any place. As more users utilize these services, telecommunications networks must expand to meet the increase in user demand, support the array of new services and provide fast, reliable communications.
A recent development within the computing and telecommunications industries has been the proliferation of mobile devices that are capable of performing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) or Internet of Things (IoT) type communications. Such devices may communicate and interact with other devices to accomplish a variety of tasks, all without any direct involvement of human users or operators. Yet, unlike conventional IoT devices, mobile IoT capable devices are not always tethered to the network via physical connection. Rather, these devices may communicate using wireless or the cellular telephone networks, such as 3G, 4G, LTE and UMTS networks.
As more parties become involved in the provision of services in telecommunications networks, the commercial models required to support these services have become more complex. One such example is the concept of sponsored data, whereby a third party can pay the telecommunications network provider for the charges incurred when a subscriber accesses a particular service. For example, an on-demand film provider may pay the charges associated with a subscriber viewing its films (and it may recoup these charges as part of a monthly subscription from the subscriber). Another example is a commercial security company that may require higher quality video delivery for its video cameras, and pay the network provider a premium for this enhanced capability. New and improved systems and network components that enable or better support such features, functionality and models will be beneficial to content providers, service providers, network operators, and consumers.